Our world is full of new innovations. They help us to solve complicated problems. One of such problems is our energy. Today life without energy is impossible to imagine. Our laptops, smartphones, cars, drones, everything needs energy. Energy has become more than just a part of our life. We use energy at work, during our rest, and even when we are playing or gambling at 22Bet.
“Water batteries are one of the cheapest ways to store energy in terms of kWh. In 2020, they accounted for about 95% of the world’s energy storage capacity.”
Many of the cheapest and cleanest sources of energy depend on natural conditions. Turbines can’t spin if the wind isn’t blowing, and solar panels can’t collect energy if the sun isn’t shining.
Storing renewable energy will help accelerate the transition to sustainable sources. However, traditional lithium-ion batteries, such as those found in smartphones, are not entirely suitable for this purpose. Fortunately, there are alternative options.
Water Batteries
For more than 100 years, people have been using gravity to store energy through pumped storage power plants or simply water batteries. These systems require two lakes or reservoirs to operate, one of which is located higher than the other. If there is excess energy in the network, it is used to pump water from the lower reservoir to the upper one. When more energy is needed, water from the upper reservoir flows down again, driving hydroelectric turbines.
Water batteries are one of the cheapest ways to store energy in terms of kWh. In 2020, they accounted for about 95% of the world’s energy storage capacity.
Building water batteries is time-consuming and expensive, especially when heights need to be changed and artificial reservoirs are created. Large water batteries also face problems that are common to many megaprojects, such as delays and cost overruns.
And some types of reservoirs, such as those created by blocking rivers, can harm natural ecosystems.
Latest Innovations
In July 2022, the pumped-storage power plant Nant de Drance was launched in the Swiss Alps. Its capacity is 20 million kW/h, which is equivalent to the capacity of 400,000 batteries for electric vehicles. This is one of the most powerful water batteries in Europe.
Developers have dug a tunnel over 16 km long to connect the Emosson and Vieux Emosson reservoirs for battery operation. Construction lasted 14 years and cost $2.1 billion.
In conclusion, there are multiple different ways to develop our energy production. Unfortunately, not all of them are about saving our green planet. Though, our technologies help us every day to solve these complicated issues.
